Bonding
by Taoreta-Hoshi
Summary: Aragorn worries about the lives of the people of Rohan but Legolas can see that his worry goes down deeper than that and he challenges him about it. The two friends discuss Aragorn's choices and what they might mean. Eowyn's stew features.


Summary:

Aragorn worries about the lives of the people of Rohan but Legolas can see that his worry goes down deeper than that and he challenges him about it. The two friends discuss Aragorn's choices and what they might mean. Eowyn's stew features.

* * *

Aragorn let his eyes wander over the gathering of the people of Edoras, women, children and men alike, sharing meals and resting their feet after travelling the first section of the journey to Helms Deep. Eyebrows furrowed Aragorn watched as a mother embraced her children and whispered something to them, but as she spoke he could see the fear in her eyes, the fear for her children. His eyes lingered on Eowyn, walking to and fro through the gathering of people offering them stew. Worry seemed to be in his very bones as he looked over the people of Rohan again but it dissipated for a moment when Legolas appeared at his side silently, but his blue eyes were troubled despite the easy smile on his face. Seeing fear in the eyes of his elven friend who usually hid behind a deep mask of no emotion Aragorn briefly thought about how there was no hope for Rohan, no hope in this war.

Legolas himself was aware that his emotions were betrayed by his eyes, but the worry he carried was worry for Aragorn. He had seen the fear and the weight that Aragorn carried on his shoulders and it worried Legolas that one day Aragorn would cave in despite how strong the man was. Settling himself in front of Aragorn on the grass at the man's feet Legolas crossed his arms over Aragorn's knees and rested his head upon his arms, looking up through his brows at his best friend.

"What ails you Estel?" He murmured in elvish, using the elven name Aragorn had been granted when Elrond had taken him in at a young age.

Aragorn smiled at the use of the name, a name he had not heard for a long time and a name that was rarely used by anyone bar Legolas. There was no use lying to his elven friend, Legolas could read him as easily as an open book.  
"I am worried is all Legolas my friend." He replied, trying to avoid a deeper answer to the question.

Legolas moved his head back though he kept his arms crossed over the Rangers knees.  
"There are many reasons you worry Aragorn," Legolas spoke with the tone that Aragorn knew he used when the elf was not impressed with his answer. "What is it that worries you at the present time? Is it the fate of the people of Edoras? Or is it the movements of the enemy against both Rohan and Gondor?"

The Ranger could not help but laugh at Legolas' words and reached down to rest his hands on Legolas' arms. The elf tensed a little and then suddenly knelt up and placed his hands on Aragorn's shoulders, looking straight into Aragorn's eyes as if he was searching for something. Aragorn was a little unnerved by Legolas' intense stare but he did not break the eye contact. There was always some connection between the two of them when their eyes met, some spark that passed between them that sent a thrill through Aragorn and he was loathe to break it.

"Is it perhaps the Lady Arwen that plagues your thoughts at the time?" Legolas asked softly, still using elvish to discourage anyone from eavesdropping on their conversation.

Aragorn tensed and broke the eye contact. He had been dwelling somewhat on Arwen, but the worry for the people of Rohan and those of Gondor worried him more than any other thing. How was it that Legolas knew him so well, could read him so well?

"Why is it you can read me so well?" He asked, hoping to distract his friend. He did not want to discuss Arwen with Legolas, especially since Legolas could read him so well. He was unsure if the elf knew what his choice had been for Arwen and how he had lied to her to please her father, but Aragorn wasn't exactly convinced that Legolas would understand, or if he did understand if he would approve.

Legolas went to resting his arms against Aragorn's knees and placed his head back upon them.  
"It is amusing that the race of men believe they so easily hide their emotions behind a mask when truly they are written as clear as anything upon your faces. You cannot hide your feelings well Aragorn, though you may have been raised by elves."

Silence fell between them and Legolas waited for Aragorn to speak. If he wanted to talk about Arwen he would and Legolas would only push it if he needed to, if he thought that Aragorn needed someone to lean on. The problems of Rohan were more real to them at the moment, the raw emotion and the fear that they were feeling and Aragorn was worrying more about them than anything else.

"Do you believe that Theoden has made the right choice?" Aragorn inquired after the two lapsed into silence.

Legolas hummed quietly as he considered his answer, moving his arms to his sides and resting his head alone on Aragorn's thighs, his blonde hair spilling over the men's leggings, fluttering slightly in the breeze that had sprung up. "To his men it seems that they are forfeiting their lives in Edoras out of fear and uncertainty. Theoden had to reassure his men that it was not a defeat himself and yet the battle has not even occurred yet." The elf began softly, watching the children playing a little way off. Aragorn watched him, tempted to stroke the silky blonde locks spilled over his thighs.  
"I believe that Theoden believes he has made the right choice, to give his people a better defence and that he does not know what force he is truly up against. The Hornburg has never been taken, and yet the forces that the enemy has are greater than any known before, both Sauron and Saruman breed evil for the purpose of destroying all those that oppose them, evil that Theoden has never seen before. Theoden is hiding behind ignorance, he is hiding behind the belief that Helms Deep will forever be a strong hold, but the world is changing and he is too slow to keep up."

As he stopped talking Legolas slid from Aragorn's knees and collapsed to the floor with a sigh, his hair spreading about the grass and his eyes closed and his head resting by Aragorn's feet. A smile played about his lips and his fingers interlocked upon his chest and Aragorn watched him with a fond smile. He should have known that Legolas would not give a simple answer to such a question, Legolas had been analysing the men of Rohan since they had first entered the city because it was the first true city of men he had ever entered and men intrigued him.

"What do you think Aragorn?" Legolas asked after a moment. "Did King Theoden make the right choice?"

"I cannot say." Aragorn replied straight away. "Although I do agree with you my friend, that Theoden believes that this is the right choice to make."

Legolas did not move at Aragorn's reply and if his eyes had not been closed Aragorn would have believed the elf to be asleep.

"Do not worry about Arwen my friend." Legolas murmured gently and Aragorn was taken aback. Had this been Legolas' plan? To lure him into a discussion at the people of Rohan only to disarm him with a simple statement about Arwen? The elf was devious so Aragorn should not be surprised.

Legolas opened his eyes and fixed them upon Aragorn again. "She will make her own choice Aragorn, regardless of what you told her. You should know no matter how you lie to her she will not believe it."

"I have not lied to her." Aragorn lied.

Legolas quirked a slender eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. This was a movement Aragorn had seen Thranduil pull many times and the resemblance between the royal elves of Mirkwood in that moment was profound.

"You are a terrible liar." Legolas stated. He turned his head slightly as if he was distracted by something and after a moment Aragorn realised what it was. Eowyn was coming towards him, her eyes hopeful. Legolas smiled and lay still, his eyes focused on Eowyn as she approached them.

"I made some stew," She said when she was stood before Aragorn, her eyes flicking to where Legolas lay on the grass, his bright eyes on the sky as she spoke to Aragorn.  
"It isn't much but it's hot." As she was speaking she dipped a bowl into the pan she was carrying and handed it to Aragorn brimming with food. Aragorn accepted it gratefully, he was hungry and the promise of hot food was inviting. His mind changed when he looked down at the food and realised the reason Eowyn still had a full bowl was that the stew did not look very appetising.

On the ground Legolas' nose wrinkled in disgust at the smell, a gesture almost too small to see but Aragorn noticed it and he also noticed the curve of a smile on his friend's lips. Legolas knew that Aragorn would eat the stew, or at least one mouthful, so as not to upset or offend Eowyn and it amused him.

Aragorn dipped the spoon into the bowl and raised it to his mouth, taking the mouthful and trying not to gag as he moved it around his mouth, hoping Eowyn would leave before he had to swallow. She did not move, so Aragorn made a few noises of appreciation as if the food tasted nice and still she did not go. So, after subtly kicking Legolas for the light giggle he heard from the elf Aragorn swallowed and managed to gasp out "It's good."

"Really?" Eowyn cried happily.

Aragorn nodded and Eowyn turned around to walk away. As soon as her back was turned Aragorn moved his arm and tipped the stew to the ground as quickly as possible, right next to Legolas' head.

"My uncle told me a strange thing," Eowyn said, turning back to Aragorn as he was tipping out the stew and forcing him to stop, burning his hands and his leg. Legolas laughed again and rolled over, away from the mess Aragorn had made.  
"He said you rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather. But he must be mistaken." Eowyn continued.

Aragorn smiled at the memory. "King Theoden has a good memory he was only a small boy at the time."

The shock on Eowyn's face served to amuse Legolas, who had knelt up and was brushing out his hair with his fingers and undoing his braids some of the stew had bounced into it when Aragorn had been pouring it out and Legolas wanted to sort it out.

"Then you must be at least sixty," Eowyn gasped.

Aragorn made no reply,

"Seventy?" Eowyn guessed.

Aragorn smiled and shook his head a fraction.

"You cannot be eighty." Eowyn exclaimed.

"Eighty-seven." Aragorn informed her.

Legolas crawled over to where Aragorn was sitting and knelt next to him, taking the opportunity to clean his leggings while Eowyn was distracted by his age.

"You are one of the Dúnedain." She murmured, "A descendent of Numenor blessed with long life. It is said that your race has passed into legend."

"There are few of us left." Aragorn agreed, sparing a glance at Legolas who had busied himself with cleaning Aragorn's leg so that the curtain of his pale hair would hide the amusement upon his face.

"I'm sorry." Eowyn said as she backed away from Aragorn a little. "Please eat." She exclaimed as she noticed the forgotten bowl in Aragorn's right hand. Aragorn held back a grimace from both her watchfulness as he ate and the way Legolas' hand tightened around his leg as the elf barely held in his laughter. Resigning himself to the fact that he would have to eat the stew Aragorn did so but as soon as he began to eat Eowyn seemed to be satisfied and moved off.

"Are you considering whether it would be rude to spit it out?" Legolas asked softly, once again in elvish.

Aragorn shook his head and as discreetly as possible he spit the mouthful he had out to the ground and placed the bowl aside. Legolas laughed in delight and lifted his head so his hair parted and Aragorn could see the mirth shining in his eyes.

"I cannot believe you even ate a mouthful." Legolas continued as he wiped at Aragorn's leggings with a spare bit of cloth he had acquired. "There were polite ways to let a lady down that you could have used."

"I did not want to insult her." Aragorn replied softly.

"Of course not." Legolas laughed. "I believe we should talk Estel."

"About what?" Aragorn inquired although his heart told him that it was Arwen that Legolas wished to talk about.

"Do not play dumb Aragorn you know what. If the lady Eowyn had not interrupted us then we would be talking about it now." Legolas snapped although there was no anger in his voice.

Aragorn smiled sheepishly and sighed. Legolas knew what he had said to Arwen before leaving with the Fellowship, that much had become obvious to Aragorn and suddenly the urge to embrace his elven friend and cry to him about his feelings washed over him.

"I am worried Legolas." He admitted softly.

Legolas moved his arms and lent on his elbows, still balancing firmly on his friends legs and looked up at Aragorn through his lashes. He did not speak, waiting for Aragorn to elaborate.

"You know what I said do you not?" Aragorn inquired.

"I do." Legolas confirmed.

"Do you think I made the wrong choice?" Aragorn asked, his voice wavering and close to breaking. Legolas heard this in his tone and sat up properly, moving off Aragorn's legs but nudging at them so he parted them, allowing Legolas to move between them and wrap his arms around Aragorn's shoulders. Aragorn willingly leant into the hug and buried his face in Legolas' neck.

"Please be calm Estel," Legolas murmured as he felt his neck grow wet from tears. "Lady Arwen will not leave these shores."

"But I would have her sail to Valinor and be with her people." Aragorn whispered.

"Not truly in your heart do you want that my friend," Legolas disagreed and smiled when Aragorn pulled back so they could rest their foreheads together and look into each other eyes.  
"Were it not for Lord Elrond's influence over you Aragorn you would request that Arwen stay for you, wait for you, because you would return to her if you could."

"I would never ask her to give up her immortal life nor could I ask her to watch me die." Aragorn stated.

"She will make her own choice Aragorn; you do not have to ask her to do anything." Legolas murmured.  
"You will accept either choice she makes Estel, whether it is to stay by your side or to leave for Valinor. You will rule Gondor with or without Arwen and you will always find someone else to sit beside you as queen and to give you heirs. Please Aragorn, do not worry about this now for it does not need weigh on your mind."

"I am confused by you Legolas," Aragorn admitted, "You were the one who brought up Arwen as a topic and yet now you are merely telling me not to think about it."

Legolas hummed again and grinned. "I am full of contradictions today then Aragorn but that is my advice to you. If you need to spill your feelings to me then go ahead, but I advise you not to dwell on Arwen, not yet."

"Sorry to break up your little love hug here," Gimli's gruff voice stopped Aragorn from being able to reply to Legolas and both jumped a little and turned to look at their dwarven friend.  
"We're moving on for a bit to try and find a better place to camp for the night."

"There is nothing wrong with where we are." Legolas pointed out.

"Theoden believes it is a little too open, he wants to find a place a little more covered." Gimli pointed out.

Legolas did not say anything but Aragorn could tell from their close proximity that the elf wanted to laugh. Instead he moved back from Aragorn and stood up. Aragorn suddenly realised that there was a little stain on Legolas' sleeve and when he drew the elf's arm towards him Aragorn realised it was the stew that he had poured onto the floor. Legolas noticed it and made a face and Aragorn laughed.

"I'll clean your shirt while I clean myself." He suggested as he gestured at the stains on his leg.

Legolas nodded and pulled Aragorn to his feet with a grin.

"Let's us move on then and help Theoden find a 'more covered spot' for his people to rest." Legolas exclaimed breezily and grabbed his weapons as Aragorn reached for his own as well. Gimli looked between them, wondering what they had been talking about, but he did not ask as the three hunters made their way towards the king.


End file.
